Woman killed in downtown Santa Rosa crash identified

A 73-year-old woman who was killed after she was struck by a vehicle in downtown Santa Rosa last week was identified Sunday as Ruth Ileen Tapian.

Tapian had been standing on the sidewalk in front of Luther Burbank Savings on Tuesday afternoon, a wheeled shopping basket alongside her, when an SUV involved in a collision at Third and B streets rolled on top of her.

Tapian, who lived in Santa Rosa, died at the scene before emergency personnel could free her. Sonoma County sheriff’s officials said they had difficulty locating Tapian’s family to inform them of her death.

Santa Rosa police, who are conducting the investigation into the fatal crash, said determining who was at fault hinges on which driver ran a red light.

The 2:30 p.m. collision took place in front of the bank, about one block from Old Courthouse Square. A Ford Explorer and a Volvo wagon collided in the intersection, and the impact sent the SUV rolling.

The driver of the Explorer, Daniel Borbely, 72, told The Press Democrat that he was running errands downtown when he approached the intersection and slowed to a near stop because the light was red. He said he accelerated after the light turned green, and that his vehicle was struck after he entered the intersection. He described the Explorer rolling and the sensation of being upside down.

Police have not confirmed Borbely’s account.

David Nelson, 94, the driver of the Volvo wagon, ?was headed west on Third Street and making a left turn onto B Street at the time of the crash.